Twisted
by SilverStarShine94
Summary: Zero gets a glimpse of the unpleasant future that seems to be in store for him. Zero x Yuuki. Oneshot.


**Twisted Opalescence**.

**Summary: **Zero gets a glimpse of the unpleasant future that seems to be in store for him. Zero x Yuki. Oneshot.

* * *

Their same old routine seemed to be getting hollow in a way. Coming back to the Chairman's kitchen for a quick snack after a long patrol was no longer a comfortable, quiet reprieve from their normally hectic routine. It was -

His train of thought broke as she swept by, far too close to him. Her chestnut hair had moved slightly to show the smallest sliver of her neck. Zero looked back down at his mug of coffee sourly; blocking the painful urges that came with the simple sight of her neck.

- simply hellish.

He grasped the handle of the mug with almost unnecessary force. The bitter liquid inside was lukewarm and too strong for his taste, but he didn't complain. Yuuki smiled at him over her shoulder as she reached up to get a snack from the shelves. When he didn't meet her gaze he saw that suddenly far too familiar look of concern flicker across her features.

It had been a while since he had last taken a little more of her. The burning desire to sink his teeth into her skin and drain her completely had not faded since his first taste. His ultimate undoing. Her presence, her presence just did not help anything. As she swept over to sit with him in that stupid, white blouse that dipped tantalisingly at the neck he knew he had to get out of the room. Yuuki was speaking to him, but he couldn't focus on her words.

No other person on this Earth could tempt him as much as her; as much as she did on a regular basis. As though she had no idea of the struggle he was going through she dragged her chair closer and swept her brown hair over her shoulders, away from her neck. His mouth went dry and he could almost hear the sound of her blood flowing through her veins.

The soft, sweet, rhythm of her heart thudded in his ears until that was all he could concentrate on.

He hated this; the thing inside him that cause him to crave her blood. The animal that he was bound to become that wanted nothing more than to drain her of every last drop of that life preserving liquid that he desired so much. His thirst was insatiable and he _detested _it. Some cruel twist of fate had to make it Yuuki's blood that attracted him like no one else's.

How much did he hate himself every time he did the unforgivable and stole something that should only belong to her? Every time she willingly offered her blood for his sanity. The guilt was just -

Her voice pulled him sharply back to reality and he forced himself to listen to what she was saying. Spending any amount of time with her now was painful. The breath caught in his throat when she leaned forward to touch his arm; worry sparked in her eyes. Before Yuuki could break the cautious no space gap between them he placed a hand on the table and pushed away, quickly standing. She sat her coffee down deliberately and stood too.

It was definitely like she had been summoned from his own personal hell and put here to taunt him, break him, draw him deeper into hatred for what he was becoming.

Zero was gripped with the urge to run before his senses overpowered him and he bit her again. Even after that thought his gaze seemed to wander as he tried to focus on her warm, chestnut eyes. Only her exposed neck attracted attention... And she noticed, again. The realisation seemed to form in her mind as he watched. Lifting her hand to her collar she fiddled with it. She was about to ask him if he needed to... If he was _hungry._

That look was all too familiar and he just couldn't bear to hear her say those words. If she was to offer, he wasn't sure he could resist. Suddenly, he just couldn't look anymore, he couldn't hurt her. Pulling away he began to half walk, half run across the short distance towards the door, relishing the fresh, clean air that flowed in a cleared his senses. He wouldn't take any more from her. No, he couldn't take any more from her.

"Zero! Wait!" She always followed. Why did she always follow?!

It didn't take him long to get outside into the grounds. Zero broke into a run the moment he was clear of the buildings, focusing all of his pent up energy into his legs as he tried, vainly, to get away from her; his own personal hell. His greatest sin and closest companion wrapped up in one and... God, why did it have to be her!?

Sometimes he wondered why he stayed here since every day was a new test of his willpower. One day he would snap and tumble into insanity and he knew she would be the first one he sought. That was why he gave her the gun. Out of every person he knew she was the most endangered by him, she was the one that tempted him like no other.

"Zero!" His breathing became ragged as his mind drifted to the thoughts of just what he could do to her.

It was quiet outside, dark and secluded. The trees provided the perfect shelter from prying eyes and of course no one would be wandering at this time of night. If he was to drink her blood, to drain her completely, there was a strong chance the Night class would smell her blood and come running. If he took her far enough into the dense trees... Well, they wouldn't get there in time.

Stop it! Oh, god, stop it. Those thoughts. _I don't want to hurt her._

The boundary of the school grounds was shown by a towering, stone wall that circled the entire area. Zero had not noticed that he had ran so far and as he approached it he was forced to slow and regard it carefully. He could not jump over it - it had to be climbed. The sounds of her crashing through the undergrowth reached his slightly heightened senses quickly and he knew he had to hurry.

She was yelling after him, clearly alarmed, worried. He didn't wait any longer and pushed his foot into a crack near the base of the wall, hauling his entire body up with apparent ease. Two more handholds and he threw his body over in a single fluid movement. Just as his feet touched the soft earth outside the grounds he heard her stop behind the wall, yelling.

Her voice cracked, letting him know just how upset she was. The guilt gnawed at his thoughts as he didn't even spare her a glance and continued to run as fast as his legs could carry him. _Don't let her follow._

Zero knew she was afraid of leaving the school grounds alone and the fact that it was now night would not help in the slightest. He hoped her fear would hold her back and keep her safe in the grounds. Keep her away from him and the outside world that frightened her so much; though she would never admit it. He was no better than the Level E vampires that had ambushed her on more than one occasion and one day he hoped she would see that.

Some dark, selfish part of his mind whispered _lies_. And the worst part was he knew it was true.

He wanted her, her company, her companionship more than he should. For years he had selfishly stayed close to her because she was the only spot of light in his otherwise dark life. He had thoughtlessly ignored the fact that she was in danger just being in the same room as him. She grew accustomed to him and now she wouldn't let go.

Now he would pay the price of letting her stay closer to him than anyone should have gotten.

_But she would pay more. _

The soft sound of her feet touching the ground outside the walls hit him like a punch in the gut. He should have known she would follow - really, he should have. Yuki's voice cut through the still, night air like a knife. The sound of his name flowing from her lips almost burned. Outside the safe walls of the school the difference in the atmosphere was palpable; colder, darker.

Trees melted away only to be replaced by tall buildings and cobbled streets. An almost decaying ambience filled the air... Musty until the wind blew and brought the scent of freshly spilled blood. This was a dangerous place. His hand went to the Bloody Rose almost instinctively; the feel of the cold metal was re-assuring against his heated skin.

Repetitive sound of her heartbeat still filled his head like a broken record, repeating and repeating. He stopped hearing her footsteps a few minutes later as he wove deeper into the town's twisted streets. Zero was almost pleased when he realised he had lost her and hoped she would have the sense to go back. The burning in his throat began to calm slightly, when he could no longer hear the sound of her pulse, but it was still near unbearable.

Pressing his back against the cold, damp stone wall of one of the many derelict buildings he slid down to sit. Tremors racked his body in a particularly vicious hunger fit. It was cloudy, so the moon was hidden behind a smoky veil making the night seem even darker than before. Zero didn't care, lying there in the dark, filthy recesses of the town. He was just glad to be away from Yuuki and the scent of her blood, the sight of her smooth, pale neck.

If only he could ignore the fact that this place _reeked_ of blood. It was sickening, the fact that it actually appealed to him.

oOo

Zero hadn't stopped running since he left the room and, try as she might, she just couldn't keep up with him. For a moment she had thought it would just be a normal night when they stopped to have a quick snack after patrolling then went to their separate dorms. She had noticed the slight tightness of his jaw and the fact that he was slightly paler than usual but she hadn't gotten a chance to bring up whether he was... _Hungry_ or not.

The subject was a sensitive one and he always did deny the completely natural - though inhuman - craving. She didn't know how many times she would have to tell him that she didn't mind before he would accept it.

Then, he had just bolted off into the grounds like he just couldn't stand to be in the same room as her. She had left the coffee half drank and sprinted after him; the weight of his gun was an ever present reminder of her promise to him. For a while she had left it in her drawer, in her desk, but she had been forced to accept the fact that when she really needed it, it would probably come as a shock.

For a moment she toyed with the idea of simply throwing it into the bushes, but... A promise was a promise; even one as unthinkable as that. Zero could be very fast if he wanted to and she was beginning to have trouble just keeping up. Her breathing became slightly laboured as she struggled through the undergrowth, desperately trying to keep up with him, but trying to avoid being cut by the many bushes and thorns that grew among the trees.

She really didn't want the scent of her blood on the air. That was all they needed. The line of trees ended far sooner than she had expected causing her to stumble forward and almost lose her balance completely. No cuts, thank god, but she had not been quick enough to catch him before he jumped over the wall. Before he went _outside_ beyond the grounds.

Irrational fear bubbled up and suddenly, she felt hopeless. Calling after him she stood and wiped off some of the dirt and leaves that had stuck to her uniform. She felt ashamed to hear her own voice crack as she heard the sounds of his footfalls again. Running away from her.

_He was always running away from her._

Always shutting her out.

He just never let anyone in, not even her, she still wasn't close enough for him to open up.

Would she ever be?

Flicking out the Artemis rod she ran towards the wall and dug it into the ground, throwing her entire weight over the wall in a single movement. She heard the staff groan in protest half way through the jump, but she ignored it. When her feet touched the ground it was almost as though the air had been sucked straight out of her lungs.

She had to force herself not to turn around and run back to the safety of the school. Zero _needed _her; if only just to sate his hunger - or thirst. She wasn't really sure which one it was. Not that it really mattered. Yuuki took a deep breath and set off after her fellow guardian, ignoring the stabs of fear that just wouldn't leave. Finding him was all that mattered right now.

Running without direction proved to be useless and she had no idea where to turn. The sound of his footsteps had faded after the first few minutes indicating that he had either stopped, or moved too far away for her to hear. Licking her chapped lips she regarded the dark, threatening passage before her carefully. Inch thick sludge clogged the sides of the streets forcing her to stay in the middle; in clear view.

Shouting would most definitely attract Zero's attention, but... It would also attract anyone else in the nearby vicinity. Fear gripped her and swayed her decisions; she wanted to remain unnoticed, but she wanted to find him. The moon had moved behind a cover of thick, grey clouds some time earlier, but only now was she missing the faint light that the glowing orb provided.

Several more twists and turns later and she was beginning to feel that all too familiar tightness in her chest. That feeling of being watched... She could no longer ignore the fleeting glimpses of glowing red eyes in the corners of her vision.

_Just my imagination._

She held the Artemis rod out in front of her protectively as she walked and turned to look behind her every so often. Unexpected noises provoked an almost ridiculous reaction from her. Quickly, she realised she was beginning to lose rational thought as the fear began to creep slowly in. Settling in the darkness of her memories and pulling out the various attacks that she had suffered through in this place.

Small child poised to bite, fanged teeth showing. Woman with long hair emerging from the shadows... Glowing red eyes piercing her to the core. Their almost cruel similarity to the blood the... _monsters _craved so much. Her breath caught in her throat as her rod clattered to the ground. The metallic noise rang through the streets; achingly loud.

Again.

"_Monsters who take human form."_

Zero is not a monster and yet, she still seemed to think that way when stress got to her. She just seemed to receded back to her old way of thinking- back before she knew. She had promised herself that she would stop thinking of them like that - of him like that. Yuuki shook her head and stumbled forward to pick up her rod. Feeling vulnerable and bare without the weapon in her grasp. He was never a monster.

Turning the corner she saw nothing but a glaring pair of red pin-points. Far too vivid to be created by her imagination. Her heart began to pound faster as the sheer terror she was beginning to feel spread through her body. Right now screaming seemed like a good idea; though she was no damsel in distress and she hated to play the part.

So much for Zero needing her. She just wanted him to.

Spinning around she spun the sturdy metal rod sharply in a quick, defensive move. It scraped against the walls of the narrow alleyway and became stuck with a grating screech. Hissing in irritation she desperately pulled at it and immediately felt like her back was vulnerable. A sharp screech behind her cemented the fact that her intuition was right.

The rod came free too slowly to block the swipe at her back; sharp claws sliced cruelly through her clothes as though they were no more of a barrier than the air. For a few seconds she felt no pain at all but it all came suddenly, crippling her. Her body worked furiously, pumping adrenaline through her system as she threw all her weight behind the rod.

Blood red eyes made her freeze after the first shaky swipe. Yuuki cursed herself when the second swipe came too quickly for her to react. A man. Or he was a man, once. The second strike only grazed her lightly, completely the opposite of the first which had cut her deeply. She felt the heated life preserving liquid ooze from the wounds and trickle down her back.

His eyes brightened considerably the moment the scent of her blood hit the air. All he did was give a strange half scream - half roar in her direction before launching himself forward. He no longer even had the capacity to speak. At one point she would not have called him anything other than; monster, it... A nothing. Now that thought made her heart wrench painfully even as he launched himself forward, fangs bared.

Pain erupted in her back as she pulled up the rod in a defensive move. The level E's sheer strength and brutal determination was beginning to bear down on her. The blood loss and lack of space really didn't help. She was not used to fighting in an enclosed space with towering, windowless walls boxing her in and limiting the way she could swing her weapon.

The seemingly horrendous amount of blood that was now flowing from her various wounds; ranging from tiny scratches to gaping lacerations; would now definitely be attracting any other vampires that lurked in the shadowed corners of the town. Yuuki managed to get one good hit, directly in the face, which made his head snap back and gave a sickening cracking sound. Probably a broken nose.

His anguished cry fell on deaf ears as she was already running as fast as her legs would carry her. The heated pursuit of a now injured former human behind her only made her run faster. Zero was still at the forefront of her mind as she was running; no longer realising which direction she was going in. All she could think of was the fact that her blood was dripping down onto the ground, the scent would have been spread throughout the area, and even Zero would be able to smell it now.

Would he come looking for her?

... Would he come looking for her because the scent of her blood was on the air?

_Do you want him to?_

She wasn't looking where she was going, just running blindly. That proved to be disastrous when she reached the bottom of a cracked, slippery staircase as fast as she could without falling and breaking something. In front of her was nothing but a dead end. Yuuki closed her eyes tightly and silently cursed. The heavy weight of the gun in her jacket pocket seemed to catch her attention when she heard the roar of the former human - far closer than she had thought.

A tiny, boarded up window at the very end of the cramped street had her almost laughing with tainted joy. The wood crumpled beneath her rod and shattered easily. She ignored the splinters that dug into her fingers as she grasped the sides of the hole and pulled her entire body through.

A little more blood would hardly make a difference.

The sounds of pained hisses and strange, inhuman noises made her hurry to the point that she almost fell up the stairs at the other side. Darkness cloaked this place in a sense choking shroud. The cloying, sweet stench of decay signalled disuse and abandonment. Yuuki did not linger for long before scrambling up the stairs, away from the tiny patch of light her escape hole had caused.

The stairs were narrow, and not at all steep. As she climbed higher the darkness faded slightly though she was not sure where the light was coming from. The silence was utterly deafening and the absences of the pursuit she had expected only left her more shaken and wary. As though hearing her thoughts a ripping sound echoed up the staircase.

Probably the little window being torn away completely; frame and all.

Spoke too soon.

Zero might even gone back to the school by now; he probably didn't think she would leave the grounds. Maybe he was even looking for her back within the maze of trees and elegant buildings, back where it was safe. At the end of the narrow staircase was a unlocked door without a handle; it creaked open when she gave it a light push.

Thundering sound of pursuit behind her.

Yuuki ran one of her hands experimentally down her back; wincing at the pain ripping through her raw flesh. The amount of blood on her hands was not overly worrying, but still... So, much for not having her scent on the air. She glanced around the room quickly, feeling the despair rising when she couldn't find anything to barricade the door with.

This room had to be, at the very least, three floors up and she did not want to risk jumping out of the window. It was far too high. The only way to go from here was up. A small, square hole up to the attic was the only way she could go now. Sliding the Artemis rod up first she jumped up and gripped the dusty, splintered sides and pulled herself up.

The muscles in her arms strained, but she got her dangling legs up just as the sound of the Level E became alarmingly close.

Slamming the board over the hole and twisting the rusting levers closed was all she could do at that moment. The room she was in now was dark, but only because it was still night outside. Slanted windows flanked the walls and would have showed the sky to the fullest extent were they not caked with grime. Yuuki leaned down and pressed her ear to the wood; hoping to hear what was happening below her.

All she could hear were the sounds of heavy footsteps and laboured breathing. Her own heart seemed to speed up with every passing second as she tried to remain still and silent. The metal of the Artemis rod had heated up due to her touch; she kept it close.

"I can smell your blood." For a moment she thought she had imagined it.

But no. He repeated that same sentence over and over again. His voice was rough and hoarse with an almost metallic sounding edge. A twisted mockery of a human voice. A hollow imitation of a man. _A poor, tortured soul. _

The board gave a jolt as it was pushed upwards. Yuuki pressed her entire body against it, but her weight seemed to mean nothing. The levers groaned in protest, but held to which she was thankful. There was little else for her to do other than to press herself against it and hope that the wood didn't break, that the levers didn't snap.

So, much for helping Zero.

**"Blood."**

That was all he seemed capable of saying and she couldn't help but shudder when the single word reached her. Lying on her front she pressed herself down in and attempt to keep him out. This was why she hated this place. Maybe she thought he would have given up by now.

_Fool._

Suddenly, lying across there didn't seem too good an idea, especially when his hand slid through the thin gap and almost caught her. The nails on his hands were long, sharp and discoloured. All pity disappeared from her thoughts as she lept back and slammed the rod down. A thin spark of electricity was created when the metal made contact with flesh.

The Level E hissed, though whether in pain or anger she wasn't sure.

Yuuki moved back but was too slow to avoid another thoughtless slash at her. She fell backwards into a pile of dirty sheets that emitted a billow of dust. Everything stung as yet more blood seeped from the new scratches on her legs. All she could focus on was the pain of her various wounds and how the weariness was beginning to slip into her system and slow her reactions.

And Zero.

_Was he alright?!_

Rust flaked from the levers as they were bent a little more with each upward surge. Not long now, the gap was becoming bigger. Her fingers searched through the sheets in search of the cold metal rod that was her only protection. Well, not her only. The gun hung there, so close to her heart. She ignored it as she always did; it was an unpleasant reminder of an equally unpleasant future.

_Did she even have a future anymore?_

Yuuki's fingers, clumsy with the cold, did finally brush the familiar metal of her precious weapon, but only for a split second. Her touch knocked it a little and the next thing she felt was the ragged edges of a long, thin hole. Too small and narrow for her to get through but just big enough for...

She tore back the sheets urgently and peered down into the blackness and it clattered and rolled down the stairs. She could not see it - far too dark for that- but the high, metallic noise of its descent sparked yet more fear in her. It blocked out another sound, slightly dulled but unmistakable. Beneath the worn floorboards a life had ended.

All she could focus on was the fact that she was weaponless. Her hand went almost unbidden to the gun. Zero's gun.

Picking it out she looked at it carefully, but desperation was hinted in her movements.

In front of her the levers groaned and she actually caught a glimpse of his red eyes this time; bright and wild and terrifying. The gun was loaded, Zero had made sure of that. He had said that if she really needed it she probably wouldn't have time to load it and it didn't even matter if it went off accidentally in her pocket. It wouldn't hurt a human.

It felt so wrong to hold it in her shaking hands.

_Would Kaname care if she was dead? _

She hadn't thought of her savior since the night had begun; her thoughts had been too occupied. He wouldn't be there to save her this time. Though she would regret not being able to say goodbye to him, and Yori, and the Chair - father, and everyone else.

_And Zero. _

Yuuki had never been one to give up hope and now was no exception. Raising the gun she stared with blank eyes at its target. Her finger slid reluctantly into place at the trigger. This weapon did not feel right in her hands. She, who had her own blood drank - _willingly_ _-_ by the very lowest of the low - _one of her best_ _friends_ - could not even hold a vampire slaying gun without feeling sick.

Maybe that was wrong, but the thought of harming another, even one who was trying to kill her, would never sit right with her. After all, this former man, this _monster_, could be Zero one day.

The next upward surge would break either the wood or the levers. Either way he would get through. She just knew it.

This man could be Zero one day... Would that stop her from shooting him? Her index finger tightened on the trigger and in that dusty, neglected room, in the middle of the town, with blood oozing from her various vampire inflicted wounds... She didn't know.

Red eyes glowed wickedly in the blackness.

And that was the most terrifying thing of all.

oOo

The wind howled through these narrow passageways bringing the smell of blood, death and decay with it. His head jolted up when one horrifically familiar blood scent reached him. Something forbidden, tempting and already tainted by him.

Yuuki's blood.

Zero was on his feet in seconds; weariness all but forgotten. There were always Level E's wandering this place; no matter how many times the Hunter Association, or the Night class got rid of them more appeared to take their place. He did not dwell on that disturbing fact as he hurried forward. The direction was clear with her blood scent that thick and heady on the air.

Every alley looked the same here but he just followed the blood, it wasn't long before he spotted tiny drips and splatters on the cobbled ground. He wouldn't have known it was blood had he not been able to smell. Something told him he should turn back. That little voice whispering that he could turn on Yuuki the moment he found her.

Blood had been split, after all.

Still, he could not just walk away when he knew she was injured and, probably, still in danger. His mind flickered back to the last time she ended up out here, how he had watched as Kaname dealt with the problem effortlessly. Held her close and destroyed the Level E threatening her. Held her close to him... Held her closer than he would ever - should ever - be allowed to.

What was he thinking?!

There was an alleyway that was far more stained with her blood than any previous one had been. That pricked at his senses; he felt those sharp, canine teeth begin to lengthen even as he tried to stop his body's reaction. There was a space in one of the walls with shattered wood littering the floor around it. Claw marks streaked across what was left of the frame and the walls near it.

He wasted little time squeezing himself through the gap. His foot hit off something hard the moment he stepped inside. Unable to quash his curiosity he quickly picked up the long, thin object. It crackled and hissed with power the moment his skin came into contact with the icy metal; momentarily lighting up the dark space.

_Yuuki's Artemis rod._

Zero dropped it as though he had been burned before tearing up the stairs three at a time. She was close. The door at the end was also near torn to shreds and as he pushed it another figure became clear, and it wasn't her. Long fangs gleaming in the sparse moonlight, crimson eyes and long, filthy blond hair. Yuuki was no where to be seen.

That scum was jumping and slamming his entire weight into a board on the ceiling which was shuddering and jerking up. She had to be up there._ It _halted momentarily to look at him.

**"Mine." **

Must have thought that he was here to try and steal away his meal. Apparently, he didn't want to share. The thought that... That thing -

_Your future._

_- _Thought Yuuki was no more than prey to be fought over. No more than fresh meat with no other value than stopping the thirst momentarily. Leaving her broken, drained and lifeless where she would never be found.

_That will be you one day._

Her precious Kaname wasn't here to save the day, no pretend knight in shining armour, but that didn't mean he was going to let this filth lay a finger on her. His hand closed around his gun; he pulled it out with a calmness that betrayed the anger he was feeling inside. The former human had not looked at him since he had staked a claim on his fellow guardian.

Apparently it took the fact that he hadn't advanced - _yet _- meant that he had conceded defeat.

That was a mistake he wouldn't live to regret. A pull of the trigger and the scum was nothing but a pile of ash. It looked round just before the bullet slammed into his chest. The unmistakable hunger mixed with rage was all that was left; nothing human. He kicked the trench coat and other clothes left behind out of the way with little feeling.

_That will be you one day._

The scent of her freshly spilled blood, so close, excited his senses. Disgusting, repulsive and undeniable. His eyes were probably red by now too. Zero walked towards the board and looked up, he wasn't really sure what to do; whether to go up there or not. Could he take the risk of being that close to her? He pushed up and slid his hand through the gap, easily turning the lever that seemed to be holding it in place.

Apparently the ex-human had so little intelligence left that he couldn't even figure out that.

Zero pulled himself up soundlessly in an attempt not to startle Yuuki if she was still there. There was more light in here than the room below, but it was still shrouded in darkness. It only took him a moment to spot her; lying among blood stained sheets on the floor. Her uniform had been ripped and he could see scratches littering her pale skin.

Forcing down those instincts that screamed at him to do nothing more than slam her to the floor and bleed her dry he took a cautious step forward. The faint moonlight shone off his gun, held in her shuddering hand. Yuuki had been ready to shoot the Level E coming through here, she must be terrified to have consider that.

She didn't seem to realise that it was him standing there. Should he let her shoot him? He had asked her before, made her promise, given her the gun. In his mind he couldn't imagine anyone ending his life other than her. That was a strangely macabre way of showing his affection for her, but he had taken something of her. It seemed right to have her take something of him.

It seemed this wasn't his choice to make; Yuuki dropped the gun.

He watched as her emotions flickered across her features and took a few steps forward so that she could see that it was him. Zero was afraid to go any closer to her. He didn't want to hurt her. Never.

"Z-Zero?" Yuuki buried her face in her pale blood covered hands.

Something occurred to him then. The fact that he had never actually seen her so upset; so close to tears. Throughout the time he had spent with her, it had always been her trying to look after him. Even when he had first arrived at the Chairman's door; blood covered and silent. Yuuki had never shown him her weakest.

She had been upset when she found him almost about to shoot himself, or when he had... _bitten _her. Though she had always turned the situation around and pitied him and put him first. That was so like her.

" I can't do it. I wasn't even able to shoot that Level E and I never knew him. How could I shoot you, Zero? How _could _I?!" He had no idea what to do when he saw a single, pearly tear roll down her cheek.

The closest he would go was about a metre away from her. The scent and sight of her blood taunted him beyond belief as he knelt down; feeling intensely inadequate for being unable to numb her pain. He couldn't even bring himself to speak. Her Kaname would have been able to fix this. The pureblood always could deal with Yuuki effortlessly; she deserved him.

Not the lowest of the low.

_Not him. _

"Stop thinking that, Zero!" No more tears fell from her eyes, she just looked like her normal self again.

"I can tell, that expression on your face is so easy to recognise. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want you to end up like that man."

Yuuki threw herself forward with such a speed that he barely had time to react. He rocked back on his heels in an attempt to put some distance between them. Her pale arms wound around his neck and his vision was obscured by thick, chestnut hair. Familiar scent of her wound around him. His fangs prodded insistently at his bottom lip: piercing the flesh.

_Bite her. _

All he would have to do was turn his head and his face would be buried in the soft, creamy flesh of her neck. The hunger, the intense need, within him did not push back the feeling of having her in his arms. For a long time she had always been there, so close to him but never touching. Zero would never have guessed what it felt like to hold such a fragile being in his arms.

Gingerly, so as not to hurt her, he lifted his hands and placed them on an uninjured part of her back. She was always here, always giving, and he was always taking. She turned her head from where it rested on his neck and looked at him with shimmering, burgandy eyes. The one thing that drew his attention was her lips. Soft and full and untouched.

_Would it matter if he took a little more?_

Yuuki let out a soft gasp of surprise when he gently pressed his lips to hers. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to do that. At that moment his self control had worn so thin that he was going to do one or the other; kiss her or bite her. With the scent of her blood taunting his senses he was afraid to press himself more fully against her. So thin was his self control.

She tasted sweet with a slight bitterness that he couldn't quite identify.

_Sin._

To his infinite relief she didn't respond by screaming or kicking him away - although she should have - and it almost made him happy when she pressed herself closer to him. His hands moved slowly across her back; her skin was warm and achingly real. In the end it was him that pulled back. He was angry at himself for giving into the temptation and robbing her of more of herself.

Taking things that didn't belong to him.

Yuuki let out a soft gasp of disappointment before laying her head back on his shoulder. Her eyes were beginning to flutter shut due to the weariness she was bound to be feeling.

"Do it." More words were not needed when she pulled down her stained collar to bear her neck fully to him.

As he had predicted he could hold back when she offered but, tried his very best not to bite her harder than necessary. The short lived, tainted relief he felt when her blood slipped past his lips was nothing compared to just having her by his side. Because he needed her and, selfishly, wanted her to need him.

Because one day he would no longer remember what it felt like, the simple joy, of having her pressed - _willingly- _against him.

Because one day he would be the one saying 'mine' and chasing her through the darkness with no thoughts other than draining her completely.

Because one day he would be nothing but an animal.

_And she wouldn't want him anymore._

oOo

What does it feel like to have your lifeblood sucked by the supposed lowest of the low?

His tongue slid across the point of her neck that the blood flowed strongest through. Her pulse hammered faster in response as he slowly sunk his fangs into her skin. It felt better than it should. She could hear it; the sound of him draining her.

The urgency in his actions revealed just how desperate he had been though his eyes revealed his inner struggle. Their usual moonstone colour was still apparent though crimson swirled through his iris. Tainted, but still Zero. It was so apt it almost stung. Her lips still burned even after he stopped kissing her. Zero was never one to do anything like that.

She would never understand him.

When he finished she was almost disappointed. Her wounds still stung but as he looked at her with those beautiful, twisted eyes, opalescent with splashes of red, she forgot about everything. There was only him. That moment seemed to stretch for eternity even though she knew the time they had together would be short at best. Almost non-existent at worst.

When he spoke in that husky, pain laden voice she forgot about everything.

_Even her saviour._

oOo

"Forgive me."

And he kissed her again.

_His precious sin._

His Yuuki.

* * *

Finished! Man, that turned out way longer than I had expected. This oneshot is just something that popped into my head when watching the early anime. My good friend .x helped me with the title. :)

(SPOILER)

I know Zero will never be a Level E due to those... events that took place in the manga.

(END SPOILER)

Anyway, thanks for reading and feel free to critisise. Think it's OOC crap? Think my grammar and spelling sucks? Whatever complaints you have, please tell me. I'd like the con-crit since this is my first fic in this fandom.

Again, thanks for reading.

Silver xxx.

**Edit: Thanks to VampireKnightLover and Luci Ferre for pointing out some of the mistakes I've made. I think I've fixed all of those now. :3 Of course, thanks to all of my other reviewers as well. I love you guys.**


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